Prior to benefiting from the BRAVE I livelihood skills initiative, Kuusanang Daina, a mother and resident of Fielmuo was an unemployed housewife. Her lack of income contributed to household tensions between she and her husband. Daina ‘s parents are still in Burkina Faso, and she has had to support them from afar. This increased her economic vulnerability, a condition often exploited by violent extremist groups.

In 2024, Daina benefited from training on weaving, complemented with soft skills training on market skills, digital literacy, and strategies for preventing violent extremism. Her participation in the Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) further enhanced her financial resilience by providing a structured platform to save and manage her income effectively.

Within a year, she graduated as a master craftswoman. This livelihood training did not only improve her financial situation but also elevated her status within her household and community. In 2025, Daina returned to BRAVE II not as a trainee, but as a trainer for the next cohort of beneficiaries. She is now leading the training of 12 women in weaving, sharing her knowledge and serving as a role model in her community.

“Just within this one year, there is a great change in my life and my family. I am now given more respect by my husband and women in the community. I came out to join BRAVE II as a master with greater ambitions of training more people with the knowledge I acquired in the , my BRAVE I on the importance of building community cohesion and empowering women. I am very honoured to have been selected to be a trainer for the BRAVE II. It has really elevated my position in the community.” – Kuusanang Daina (Service Provider, Weaving), Fielmuo. September 2025.

Daina’s journey from beneficiary to trainer highlights the sustainability of the BRAVE model and its ripple effect in building community resilience. Her story also reinforces the importance of sustained donor investment in grassroots empowerment and peacebuilding initiatives.